Stem Cells Therapy for Kidney Disease CKD AKI Renal Regeneration

Each kidney in the human body contains about 1 million nephrons, which are essentially “filtering” units. Every nephron features a glomerulus, a cluster of tiny blood vessels. Within the kidney, toxins in the blood may be filtered by the glomerulus. High blood sugar often thickens and damages blood vessels, triggering kidney failure.

Warning Signs of Kidney Disease

Kidney Failure tends to disproportionately affect patients with other underlying medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, Polycystic Kidney Disease, polyneuropathy, pancreatitis, or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Doctors believe that sustained uncontrolled high blood sugar (and also high blood pressure) is the leading cause of kidney failure for most people. Not all diabetic patients develop kidney failure, and good control of blood sugar and blood pressure can slow kidney damage. The kidneys function by eliminating excess fluids from the blood through our urine. When the kidneys begin to fail, this function is disrupted. More fluids begin to accumulate in the body. Then, the swelling begins. Patients often report having swollen eyes and legs. Over time, the entire body might swell.

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Protein in Urine (Proteinuria)

Patients lose appetite when excess fluids and waste aren’t naturally removed from the body. They might even start frequently vomiting as the body struggles with the excess stored waste. As the kidney begins to lose function, other signs, such as the loss of essential proteins into the urine (proteinuria), can appear. Proteinuria can be easily discovered with a simple urine test. Kidney disease patients who also have Diabetes can find that their urine turns out to be a little foamy in appearance. Learn more about kidney-friendly diets.

Types of Renal Diseases

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), As the name implies, CKD develops over a long period, and patients often track the reduction of kidney function over several years. Progressive CKD can lead to eventual kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease) and requires either a kidney transplant or kidney hemodialysis 1-3 times a week to stay alive. Dialysis, or hemodialysis, is required to purify a patient’s blood of waste products such as urea and creatinine when the kidneys cannot function properly.

There are many potential causes of chronic kidney disease, but the usual ones include:

• Glomerulonephritis – Attack on the kidney tissue by a disease, virus (kidney infection symptoms), or self-attack, i.e., Autoimmune responses such as lupus & Goodpasture syndrome
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which causes the growth of cysts in the kidneys
• IgA nephropathy autoimmune, or Berger’s disease, is diagnosed when immunoglobulin A (IgA antibody) builds up in the kidneys, causing inflammation.
• Damage to blood vessels to either kidney due to diabetes (Diabetic Nephropathy) or high blood pressure, known as Renovascular hypertension (RVH), which can also lead to congestive heart failure
• Genetic or congenital abnormalities caused by mutations in the person’s DNA affecting the urinary tract or kidney
• Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) & Kidney Cancer
• Reflux nephropathy, which causes urine to flow back into the kidneys
• Long-term exposure to drugs or medications that are toxic to the kidneys
• Long-term exposure to Lead poisoning or heavy metals
• Renal artery stenosis (RAS), which causes narrowing of the renal arteries

Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) or Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs after a sudden or abrupt loss of kidney function. The dangerous event usually occurs over an extremely short period (2-7 days) and can occur multiple times. Common causes of acute kidney injury include severe dehydration or blood loss, serious infections, medicines or chemotherapy agents that are toxic to the kidneys, blocked urine flow (for example from kidney stones), and inflammatory kidney conditions such as lupus nephritis or interstitial nephritis. Related kidney conditions and signs include:

Anatomy guide

Inside the kidney

A longitudinal section through the kidney and its collecting system.

• Recurrent kidney stones
• “Anaemia”: Low blood count from kidney disease
• SLE Lupus & refractory lupus nephritis
• Sudden Stoppage of Haemodialysis
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Renal artery stenosis
• Stopping Peritoneal Dialysis
• Toxicity due to chemotherapy agents
• Interstitial nephritis
• Acute kidney failure – Sudden
• Protein or Blood in the urine
• Chronic or long-term Dialysis at a Hospital
• Kidney damage due to high blood pressure
• Polycystic kidneys
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD)

There can be many other causes of chronic kidney disease, and sometimes the cause is idiopathic or unknown. Ankylosing spondylitis can affect the kidneys in some people, but it is not a common cause of chronic kidney disease. Regardless of the underlying cause of CKD, the approaches to improving glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are usually similar. Recent research also suggests that nephrotic syndrome & chronic kidney disease can increase the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease or secondary Parkinsonism.

Five Stages of Kidney Disease

There are five stages of kidney damage for patients diagnosed with Chronic kidney disease (CKD). In nephrology, the stages vary from mild kidney damage in Stage 1 to total kidney failure in Stage 5. The stages of kidney disease in patients are based on the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). The eGFR score is used to assess how well the kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. In the early stage of renal disease, the kidneys remain functional and can filter waste, but are inefficient. As the disease progresses, it becomes harder and harder for the kidneys to filter waste, and eventually, it stops working altogether and requires artificial blood filtering using a dialysis machine.

Kidney function tool

eGFR calculator

Estimate kidney function with the adult 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equation. This equation does not use race.

RCPatient education tool provided by the Regeneration Center of Thailand

01

Enter laboratory values

For adults age 18 and older.

Ageyears

Sex used by the equation

Female Male

Serum creatinine

Creatinine unit

mg/dL µmol/L

Enter serum creatinine in mg/dL, from 0.10 to 40.00.

∿Calculate eGFR

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02

Your estimate

Indexed to a standard body surface area.

eGFR

Ready when you are

Complete the three inputs to reveal the result and filtration range.

G5G4G3bG3aG2G1

Filtration categories

See the full kidney function spectrum

GFR categories are one part of CKD assessment. Cause, urine albumin, other markers of kidney damage, and persistence for at least three months also matter.

1. G1Normal or high≥ 90
2. G2Mildly decreased60–89
3. G3aMildly to moderately decreased45–59
4. G3bModerately to severely decreased30–44
5. G4Severely decreased15–29
6. G5Kidney failure< 15

Clinical studies have shown that red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to meet the body’s oxygen requirements and provide energy for day-to-day activities. Nevertheless, a failing kidney cannot secrete sufficient erythropoietin, and lower erythropoietin levels do not stimulate the bone marrow to produce more red cells, resulting in anemia. Patients with anemia might notice pale skin or pale gums.^[1]

Can Kidney Disease be Reversed?

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Stem Cell Kidney Regeneration

Stem cells are the human body’s repair mechanism. Some stem cells can develop into several kinds of specialized cells, and mesenchymal stem cells are thought to act mainly by releasing signals that may support tissue repair. Kidney cell necrosis or decreased kidney function can be indicated by abnormal creatinine levels. Stem cell Transplantation for renal failure requires intervention-specific human evidence. A proposed kidney-directed cell treatment should not be described as replenishing kidney cells or reversing renal failure without evidence demonstrating those outcomes in the relevant patient population. Kidney function, anemia and treatment safety need separate assessment. Improvement in a blood measurement does not by itself establish regeneration of kidney tissue. The enhanced mesenchymal cells are then transfused back into your body via targeted cell infusions, allowing the circulating stem cells to reach the kidneys via normal blood circulation. Patients should discuss the evidence, risks and practical requirements of any proposed intervention with their kidney specialist. Information about services is available from the Regeneration Center. Enhanced mesenchymal stem cell therapy for kidney disease is performed in multiple stages, with each daily session lasting approximately 2 hours.^[2]

Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease

For people receiving dialysis, a private cell intervention must not be presented as a way to reduce or stop it without evidence and the treating nephrologist’s direction. The cited MSC study concerns an experimental acute kidney injury model, not proof that a chronic kidney disease protocol prevents progression or allows a normal life without future complications. Earlier-stage disease also requires ongoing kidney care. ^[3]

Avoid Dialysis or Kidney Transplant

Stem cell research has shown that to avoid dialysis or a kidney transplant after a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), early detection and comprehensive management are crucial. Lifestyle modifications, such as maintaining a healthy diet low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, help reduce the burden on the kidneys. It’s essential to control blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as hypertension and diabetes are leading causes of CKD progression. Medications such as ACE inhibitors or ARBs may be prescribed to protect kidney function. Staying well-hydrated, avoiding nephrotoxic medications (like NSAIDs), and addressing underlying health conditions that contribute to kidney damage are also important. Regular nephrology monitoring, coupled with careful management of complications such as anemia and electrolyte imbalances, helps slow CKD progression. For patients with advanced kidney disease, an investigational cell intervention must not be presented as an established way to slow or reverse progression. Continue care with the kidney specialist and assess the evidence for the actual proposed intervention. Finally, maintaining an active lifestyle and a healthy weight can significantly reduce the risk of worsening kidney function and help avoid the need for dialysis or transplant.

Stop Failing Kidneys with UC-MSC+ Renal Stem Cells

The protocol for treating patients with kidney disease depends entirely on factors such as patient age, health status, and the stage of kidney damage. Candidates for treatment will require several stages of infusions of enhanced UC-MSC+ Renal Stem cells derived from Cord tissue-derived stem cells, along with renal system-specific growth factors, which are isolated and cultured in our lab. Due to varying degrees of kidney function and physical degeneration, our medical team must review the patient’s current medical test results. Once the review is complete, we can provide a detailed treatment plan that includes the treatment steps, the exact number of nights required, and the total and fixed medical costs. Our treatment quote checklist explains which tests, monitoring and follow-up costs to clarify before making a financial commitment.

Clinical guide

Cell sources and terminology

A guide to the source labels used in the laboratory illustration.

1. Adipose tissue

   ADSC

2. Bone marrow

   BM-MSC

3. Peripheral blood

   PB-MSC

4. Placental tissue

   P-MSC

5. Umbilical cord

   UC-MSC

6. UC-MSC+

   The Regeneration Center’s terminology used in this article.

Cell preparation and delivery: The cited endothelial-progenitor study in kidney-transplant recipients does not establish the safety or efficacy of an MSC infusion or direct renal, peritoneal or arterial injection. Cell types and routes are not interchangeable. A written proposal must identify the preparation and procedure and explain its evidence and risks alongside the patient’s kidney care. ^[4]

Rehabilitation Options Post-Treatment: Physical Rehabilitation therapy in Bangkok is typically not required unless there are other physical issues. Post-therapy physical rehab services can be provided upon request for 2-4 hours per day, up to 5 days per week. 
Medical travel visas and hotel or extended-stay apartment accommodations for the patient and family can also be provided upon request.

Total Treatment time needed: The protocol is estimated to take two weeks (depending on the severity and stage of diagnosis). For patients receiving dialysis, eligibility and treatment decisions require specialist assessment. A proposed cell intervention must not promise dialysis independence or reversal of kidney disease. Dialysis should not be stopped or reduced without the treating kidney team’s direction.

Kidney Disease Treatment Guidelines for 2026

Our non-surgical cell-based treatment for renal failure & kidney dysfunction will require a minimum of 14 nights in Bangkok. Due to varying degrees of Kidney damage and the stage/severity of the underlying disease, our medical team and nephrologists will need to evaluate a patient’s needs before making medical recommendations and providing a detailed treatment protocol. Upon approval and acceptance, a thorough treatment plan will be provided, including specifics and a daily calendar for the entire treatment plan, along with the fixed medical-related expenses (excluding accommodations or flights). To begin the qualification process for our multi-stage treatment protocol for CKD, Polycystic Kidney disease, or Kidney/Renal Failure, please prepare your recent medical records that include Radiology from CT Scan or Renal Ultrasound, along with biopsy results (if available), biochemistry results (blood tests), and contact us today.

Published Clinical Citations

[1] ^ Tangnararatchakit, Kanchana, Wiwat Tirapanich, Usanarat Anurathapan, Wiwat Tapaneya-Olarn, Samart Pakakasama, Saengsuree Jootar, Shimon Slavin, and Suradej Hongeng. Depletion of alloreactive T cells for tolerance induction in a recipient of kidney and hematopoietic stem cell transplantations in Thailand. Pediatric transplantation, no. 8 (May 4). doi:10.1111/j.1399-3046.2012.01701.x. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22553996

[2] ^ Sumboonnanonda, Achra, Kleebsabai Sanpakit, and Nuntawan Piyaphanee. 2008. Renal tubule function in beta-thalassemia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), no. 1 (August 8). doi:10.1007/s00467-008-0949-0. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18688653

[3] ^ Tögel, Florian, Arthur Cohen, Ping Zhang, Ying Yang, Zhuma Hu, and Christof Westenfelder. 2009. Autologous and allogeneic marrow stromal cells are safe and effective for the treatment of acute kidney injury. Stem cells and development, no. 3. doi:10.1089/scd.2008.0092. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18564903

[4] ^ Townamchai N, Praditpornsilpa K, Eiam-Ong S. Endothelial progenitor cells in Asian kidney transplant patients. Transplantation proceedings. 2010;42(5):1690. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2010.01.063. PubMed: 20620502.